Parke Mouthpieces

[paulyg]

Can anyone shed some light on the numbering system for these mouthpieces? Just picked up a Jay Friedman set with two underparts- a 1000-700-1 and a 1000-740-1. Not sure what the difference is between them, but the 740 works better for me. I can't find too much online about this maker.

[DougHulme]

A few years back they asked me if I would be willing to help them, they sent me two new/prototype mouthpieces to tryout and to evaluate for them. I felt quite honoured to be asked but after I'd done the critique... they sent me a bill for the mouthpieces!! Never quite got that... Doug

[paulyg]

A few years back they asked me if I would be willing to help them, they sent me two new/prototype mouthpieces to tryout and to evaluate for them. I felt quite honoured to be asked but after I'd done the critique... they sent me a bill for the mouthpieces!! Never quite got that... Doug

Ahhh, the classic "free trial offer." Pioneered by internet subscription services, now coming to a mouthpiece maker near you!

[adryalm]

I just spoke with Dianne Parke about sizing last week. I my memory serves me ...

Rims
990- 4.5 sized rim
1000 - 4 sized rim

Cups
680 - 5g esque
700 - 4.5
720 - 4

The numbering on the rims is rather disconcerting. .990 inches would be smaller than a 5g rim with 1.000 being 5 sized not 4! Dianne assured me that Those numbers are accurate. After receiving my 990, it was in fact somewhere between a Bach 4 and 5.

[harrisonreed]

Makes sense. completely

???

[paulyg]

I reached out to Parke, and Jeff Parke provided a comparison chart.



What's listed as comparable to a "Bach 4G" rim is, I believe, more akin to a Corp. 3G rim. Jay Friedman describes his mouthpiece as a copy of a Bach 3G with a different cup, throat, and backbore. The apocryphal also describes the new CNC Bach 4G as roughly equivalent to an old Bach 3G, and a CNC 3G as larger than the old ones.

The difference between the Parke Friedman and the Hammond and Brassark Friedman pieces is pretty striking. The rim does feel smaller, but it is quite a bit flatter than the Brassark item at least (which itself is no slouch in the flatness department). I have since sold my Hammond, but my recollection of the backbore is that it is not straight. The Parke is similar to this (both underparts), but the Brassark Friedman has a much straighter backbore. The throat(s) on the Parke seem to be the largest, with the Hammond and Brassark throats being next and tightest, respectively. All throats are tighter than stock Bach throats, Corp. 3G or modern. The so-called "V" cup is most pronounced on the Brassark piece, and the Parke piece does not feel all that different from a "normal" cup, though there is definitely a difference when playing. All three pieces are firmly in the tenor-trombone realm, while the new Bach 3G is really a bass crossover piece with a disgustingly bad high register.

In short, if Jay Friedman's equipment generally works for you, you have quite a few options, mouthpiece-wise. All represent improvements over the old Bach Corp. 3G tenor piece, and are miles ahead of the new Bach 3G for tenor playing.